No One Can Help Us (And No One Gets Saved)
by TheWritingMustache
Summary: Desmond is the prince of an ancient kingdom, pushed into taking the throne by his father, William. Dear old Dad wants him to do some simple things, like get married, and do something beneficial for the kingdom, yadda yadda. So Desmond does just that. But the way he goes about it is a little unorthodox. Mainly by summoning a demon and binding it to him. Said demon is not happy.
1. Chapter 1

The following fanfiction contains examples and mentions of:

Witchcraft, Demons, Human Sacrifice, Apple Shenanigans, Demon Summoning, Dark Magic, Forced Bonding, Blood and Gore, Rape/Non-con Elements, Mind Manipulation

Ye be warned all who enter.

 **x-x-x-x**

* * *

The book he long search for glowed a pale golden as he approached it. The Apple pulsed brightly in his hand, signaling the object of his desires had been found. Grinning, he shoved the Apple away into its satchel, and he pulled the book free from the shelf. The Apple still glowed even from its confinement, providing plenty of light for him to flip open the book and glanced through.

Arcane symbols decorated the pages, a language long forgotten, but nothing that could The World's Solider in his tracks. Thankfully, what he'd need for the ceremony was illustrated onto the pages, so at least there was that to go off of. The grin still across his face, he closed the book shut, and made his hasty escape. The last thing he needed right now was to be found in the restricted section of the city's archives.

 **x-X-X-x**

In broad daylight, the book was even more fearsome and arcane. Whatever the material it the pages had been bound it, it surely was anything _but_ leather. Granted, the book was centuries old by this point, and yet it looked as fresh as the day, even if the material that kept it together was… _otherworldly_. The ink in which the book was written was just as questionable. Desmond was sure the ink of choice changed from paragraph to paragraph, picture to picture. Maybe sometimes it was real ink, maybe sometimes it was blood, maybe something entirely different.

But it was something utterly fascinating to read regardless. With the Apple's help, he was able to decipher the writing one little word at a time. Many of it made little sense regardless however, speaking of powers he wasn't interested in, of monsters that had been long since dead, of kingdoms that had fallen to said monsters, yadda yadda.

He did't care, it wasn't what he was looking for.

Desmond was only interested in a hopeful one chapter of the book, the story of the Mother and Her Child. And more importantly, how to summon one of them. Desmond had…great plans for them, and for himself really. The King wanted him to do something with his life, do something great, something worthy of inheriting the throne.

One would think just being the Prince of an entire kingdom would be enough. Or that he was the only one who could perfectly control the Pieces of Eden, ancient artifacts passed down through his family, nearly uncontrollable things until he had been born. But nooooo, his old bat of a father insisted he do more, something better.

Fine, if that's how he wanted it. So The World's Soldier decided he'd live up to his name, conquer and control a near unstoppable force. Cause really, how cool would that be? Pretty freaking cool, hence why Desmond just had to do it.

Except, he kinda needed a little help with it, and that's why he needed a super forbidden book for it. Couldn't exactly casually walked up to a summoner or a priest and ask them, "Could you summon a super dangerous and deadly demon for me?"

Yeah, that wouldn't go well.

Especially with the whole laundry list of things he was going to need just to put into the circle to summon this thing. Eyelash from a black cat, star of broom, symbols arranged on holy parchment, and oh the grand kicker, _virgins_. And that was just if he wanted to summon Her Child, The Mother required two virgins and an expectant mother. The Divines would ascend down from the heavens and rip out his soul before that would ever happen.

Desmond had to sit the book down, it was too much. He reclined back into his pillows and stared up at the lattice ceiling of his chambers. The glow of the Apple faded as its power withdrew back into itself, and he felt human again as they both rested. This magic shite was too much work, too complicated, no wonder normal people didn't do it anymore.

Especially using virgin sacrifices. That was like soooo fifth century. How the fuck was he supposed to get virgins? Desmond contemplated this for an embarrassingly long time before the answer finally hit him.

 **x-X-X-x**

"He did WHAT?!"

"Choose candidates to be his potential brides."

"I understand that but by the Divines, WHY did he do it?"

"I believe the word "brides" implies he means to marry them."

"Don't be smart with _me_ , Altair."

The Head Guard simply shrugged. "I speak plainly my Lord. I only know what I have been told. If you wish to know more, then go ask him," Altair said.

The High King leaned back into his throne, rubbing his temples as he did. He liked to think his son wasn't as much of a buffoon as everyone likened him out to be, but it was on occasions like this that he couldn't help but absolutely agree with them.

"Very well," William sighed. "Return to your duties, Altair. I'll handle this on my own."

"My Lord," Altair struck a fist across his chest, bowed, then departed from the throne room. William remained still, staring off into the far wall as he tried to fully accept that he had to go confront his son over something like this. From what he had gathered from Altair, his son had a gaggle of women up in his private quarters, and he had brought them in with…the apparent intention to marry them?

William couldn't help but feel like this was partially his fault. He had been a little hard on his son lately, mostly about things relating to inheriting the throne someday soon. But marrying three girls at once? Oh what nonsense was Desmond up to now.

With a heavy sigh, William lifted himself off his throne to seek out his wayward offspring. Each step closer to the northwestern wing of the palace caused another thorn of despair to pierce at his heart. His son was not a bad man by any means, but at times, was more or less…misguided. And William was beginning to suspect that this was one of those times.

His son's "room" was extravagant to say the least. Three tiered balconies that reached up to a lattice ceiling. He didn't have to climb up and search, all William did was follow the sound of laughter and giggles. On the first floor, tucked away in a corner, where hot coals sat beneath it, there was a small pool that his son and his "brides-to-be" lounged. Baskets of fruit and bottles of wine sat at the edges of the pool, goblets in one hand, another hand pawing at Desmond's chest.

William cleared his throat loudly to be heard over their laughs, and the girls gasped and squealed, ducked into the water more, and tried to vainly cover their breasts up with their free arm.

"Father!" Desmond grinned as he held up his goblet towards him. "Excellent timing, I have the most fantastic news for you!"

"You're getting married." William stated.

"Ah ah, noooot quite." Desmond corrected. "I'm considering getting married, and these three lovely ladies are the perfect candidates to me by bride. Or brides. I like them all so much, they might all just have to share the role of queen. I can't simply choose between them."

The three girls giggled nervously, batting their lashes at Desmond, but still giving William sideway glances. The High King could feel a vein ready to burst in his head.

"This is a rather unconventional way of going about it," William said carefully. "Are you sure you put enough thought into this?"

"I have it all under control," Desmond assured him. "And if something comes up, I'll ket you know. And I shall further inform you when concrete plans are made. Don't woooorrry, I'm handling this just fine."

William doubted that, a lot. Even with the serious look Desmond gave him, William couldn't help but still be suspicious. Just what game did his son think he was playing at here? He wasn't quite sure, but he did intend to find out.

"Very well then," William sighed. "I'll leave you to your…own devices then."

He have the foursome a small nod before he retreated back out of the room. William really wished the image of his son being pawed at by naked women was a sight he hadn't witnessed.

 **x-X-X-x**

Desmond waited until he felt his father was for sure out of the room before he relaxed, slumping against the edge of the pool as his "brides" chattered to each other excitedly about being caught by the King himself. Desmond set his wine aside tor rub his face, because that had been too close.

"Is everything alright, my Lord?" one of his doves asked him, a gentle hand placed back upon his chest.

"Oh no, everything's fine," he reassured as he forced himself to smile. Just uh….Hold on."

Hidden behind him, behind pillows and baskets, Desmond dug out the Apple from its hiding spot. He clenched at it tightly, the glyphs carved into it suddenly slowed, and he turned around to face his much needed sacrifices.

"So let's go over this again, you're all virgins, correct?" he asked.

"Yes my Lord," all three spoke at once, their face blank, eyes glazed over in golden hues as a bright aura floated between them.

"You've never let another man nor woman touch you, correct?"

"We are pure and blessed for marriage, my Lord" they said in unison. Desmond grinned, knowing that with the Apple's influence, they were incapable of lying. The Apple wouldn't have pointed them out to him if they weren't otherwise.

"That's all I needed to hear, thank you my loves." Desmond said, and the Apple's glow faded away.

 **x-X-X-x**

Desmond gave Shaun the cheekiest, feces devouring grin as he walked into the scribe's office. The other man looked over his spectacles at him with a deep frown and furrowed brows. They both knew that Desmond was desperate if he was coming in here.

"Well, well, well, it looks like the Divines have blessed me this day," Shaun greeted him none too enthusiastically. "Or perhaps I've been cursed instead. To what do I owe this unfortunate pleasure, your Highness?"

"Just on an errand run, won't take much of your time," Desmond promised him. "I just need some paper."

Shaun quirked a disbelieving brow at him.

"Come again, my Prince?"

"Paper. Just a blank scroll….And a quill of course."

"Yes, certainly, plenty of those," Shaun replied slowly as he moved about his crowded office for such a thing. It felt like there was more scrolls and papers and things than there was the last time Desmond was in here. And Desmond wasn't in here very often, only to practice calligraphy when his father pushed him to do it. As such, he could completely understand why Shaun was so skeptical of him being here.

"If it's not too much to ask, eh," Shaun started. "But uhm, what do you need paper for? Trying to catch up on your studies?"

"HA!" Desmond barked out in laughter. "I mean, uhm, kinda, yes, a little, not really, sorta."

Shaun paused in his search to shoot him a look from across the room.

"What I mean is, yes, I just wanna uh…Practice my calligraphy is all." Desmond nodded. "You know, in my spare time. I'm so busy with all my Princely duties that I just can't sit still for long to write all day. I'm sure you understand."

"I honestly can't say I do," Shaun said. "But then again, buffoons aren't meant to be, now are they?"

Desmond's smile faltered, became more strained.

"At the very least, here you are, your Royal Majesty." Shaun had a bundle of scrolls that he deposited into Desmond's arms. "And an ink and quill." He produced a small box from his desk, a quill sticking out from it, an ink well inside. "For the love of the Divines, don't spill it, you'll ruin everything and I won't be giving any more if you do. Understand?"

"I got iiiit," Desmond assured as he took the box. "Thank you, a lot, so much, I appreciate it."

"Yes yes, you're forever grateful. Pleasure seeing you again Desmond, but please get out and leave me alone."

Desmond blew a raspberry at him as he walked out of the scribe's office.

 **x-X-X-x**

Sunset was beginning to fall when Desmond return the book back to its rightful place. The city archives were next to deserted, not another soul in sight, and Desmond was able to sneak back into the restricted area just fine. He didn't need the Apple to find it either, merely the power of his second sight led the way. The restricted section was hidden cleverly, in the back of the archives, the fourth floor in the southern corner, a magical barrier covering it up.

Only a priestess could find the barrier and pass through it, but thanks to Desmond's more than unique lineage, he was able to locate and bypass the barrier with ease. The same powers that let him wield the Apple without going mad were the same powers that gave him his second sight.

At the very least, he wouldn't run into anyone in the restricted area. Unfortunately, the book's place was an obvious, glaring hole in the rest of the collection. Hopefully, no one had been back here since he took it the other day, and the book's absence hadn't been missed. Desmond slid it back into its proper home, no longer in need of it.

Half of the scrolls he got from Shaun were used to copy the most important few pages of the book that he needed, the others would be used to house the arcane symbols needed for the summoning ceremony. It was probably the most intensive session of calligraphy of his life, but Desmond felt it was well worth it. Intense because he HATED sitting still to write, and having to keep his brides-to-be entertained. They didn't ask what the book was or what the scrolls were for, or at least, they didn't remember asking in the first place after another wielding of the Apple.

(It had to be what it felt like to actually run the kingdom, and Desmond figured it was good practice for when he one day became King himself.)

But the book was back in place, and it was finally out of Desmond's hands. He retreated from the restricted area, back through the barrier, and hurried away from the southern corner. He dashed down a few rows of books, took a turn here and there, and then-

Nearly collided with the High Priestess of all people. His sandals squeaked as he came to a dead stop, hands out in front of him.

"By the Divines!" Desmond cried. "I'm so sorry!"

"Quite a hurry you were in, my Lord," Dana observed passively. "If only I had known we'd be entertaining your presence sooner."

Of ALL the priestesses to run into, of allll of them, it had to be Dana. The High Priestess of Mercy she was ironically called, because when others crossed her, she had none to spare. She was by far the strictest, no nonsense priestess in the whole order that governed the keeping of knowledge for the entire kingdom. That included maintaining and stocking the archives, lording over the scribes, and acting as advisors to the kingdom officials (his father included).

And Dana-

Dana was very good at her job-

And she was the most dangerous person for Desmond to run into.

"Sorry for not alerting you sooner," Desmond smiled painfully. "I wasn't going to be long, didn't want to take up any of your time. In fact, I was just on my way out…"

"Oh, then allow me to escort you, my Prince. My archives are closing in a bit anyway, and even though you are the Prince, I have to kick you out with everyone else."

"Ack, you wound me for treating me like the common folk!" Desmond faked grabbing at his heart, then laughed. "But alas, I must obey you, High Priestess."

Dana giggled back, and they fell into step with each other. Yet, the air around them felt most frigid. They weren't friends by any means, despite Desmond knowing Dana since his boyhood. And there was a time when she tutored him, as beautiful and young as she was then as she is now. Even one of his first crushes was on her when he was a squirmy adolescence desperate for some sort of attention.

That still didn't make them friends. Hardly even acquaintances. And Desmond was reluctant to be so much as around her right now, given where he just came from and what he had been doing. There…there wasn't any real way that she could sense the magic off him, right? The dark witchcraft that he was planning? He had been handling a very dangerous book, and if he had been caught with it, the punishments…

"So, my Prince, if I may be so bold…"

"Hm?"

"What did bring you to the archives today? Was there anything in particular you were looking for that you needed help with?"

Juno's tit! Did she know? She didn't know. But could she? Was he being an…open book right now so to speak?

"Oh I was just uhm…My father was talking about something the other day and I thought I might be able to find something on the subject…Uhm, I didn't find it." Desmond lied.

"Is that so?" Dana questioned curiously. "You are free to ask for assistance if you need any. Perhaps you could have found your readings with some help."

"Nuuaahh I didn't wanna bother any of you with my needless search. I know it's your duty, but I couldn't possibly ask you to assist me on a wild goose chase." Desmond assured. "I'll just have to try again another day."

"Stubbornness is most unbecoming of you, my Prince." Dana replied cooly with a slight grin. "I thought you were taught better than that."

"Not much has changed as you can tell." Desmond chuckled.

They both laughed, and the mood around them eased slightly, but only slightly. They traversed the rest of the floors to the bottom in a less than awkward silence. Dana bid him farewell at the doors, and reminded him to come back again during daylight hours.

 **x-X-X-x**

It was hours later that Dana returned to the archives by herself. With a staff in hand, she worked her way back to the fourth floor and into the southern corner where the restricted section was. Dana muttered incantations under her breath, and a Piece of the Divines imbedded into the staff began to pulsate dully. A series of footsteps glowed brightly in the dark of the archives, leading into the barrier and then back out.

Dana followed the glowing trail inside. It led her down a few sections then down two rows before it abruptly stopped. Dana frowned, muttered another incantation, and the Piece glowed brighter. She swung her staff around to cast the light upon the books. Everything remained undisturbed, nothing missing from its place, all looking untouched as they had been for centuries.

If any had been touched, they would have glowed as well. But none did. Dana didn't understand, how could there be nothing here? The footsteps were proof enough that someone- Desmond- had been in here. But what had he touched? How did he get in here in the first place? How did he even know where to look?

She wasn't sure what his game was here, but she intended to find out if he ever reared his cocky grin around here again. She could only hope it was soon. The dark aura around him had been unmistakable earlier, Dana knew he had been doing something.

But just what could that have been?


	2. Chapter 2

This fun little chapter includes fun things like body horror, gore, and death in some less than great detail. Proceed wth caution.

 **x-x-x-x**

* * *

The legend of the Old Kingdom was simple yet terrible. Their ancestors ruled from their capitol city in a great castle shrouded in the jungle. It was a castle so big, that practically all the residents of the city lived within its wall. First was the marketplace, then the homes of the common folk, moving on to homes of the richer folk, and so on and so forth until the main castle remained where the royal family ruled. It was crowded, yes, but people made their living in relative peace and harmony.

And then the disaster happened. How it happened was still hotly debated centuries later. Interlopers, one with the ways of black magic unleashed a terrible curse unto the city. They opened up gates to otherworldly plains that allowed demons to enter the mortal world, and they slaughtered people by the hundreds. It was so bad, that the demons had practically overtaken the city, that was, until the ancestors of the royal family used the Pieces of the Divine to seal them away.

However by then, it had been too late. Only a small portion of the city had been spared. Only a handful of citizens had survived unharmed. Many had been dragged into the other realms, never to return. Others had been meals to the demons. And some had even been turned and corrupted into demons themselves. The survivors were left with no choice but to abandon the capitol. They traveled for days on end until they left the jungles and re-built the capitol in more spacious plains.

Using the Pieces of the Divines, they were able to rebuild successfully. Living out in such open spaces, they took to farming and raising livestock, and the economy of the city flourished, the same said for the rest of the kingdom. The Pieces of the Divines were eventually sealed away in a vault within the new castle, for their powers were great, but the rulers who wielded them were slowly going mad from their usage. As such, they set them away to preserve what was left of their sanity and ensure the kingdom would continue to prosper long after their deaths.

And while no one speaks of it openly, there is the occasional scribe who pours over the history of the kingdom, and still wonders just who exactly was the interloper that started the demonic plague in the first place. The villain had never been caught and tried, and as far as they knew, could easily still remain at large to this day.

 **x-X-X-x**

It was in the original courtyard where the chaos began those centuries ago. As such, the courtyard was said to be a place of strong, spiritual magic. For some, it was a great place of pilgrimage, for those wanting to connect their souls to the Divines, or whatever grand being they so worshipped.

This was the scene Desmond arrived upon on the night of the full moon. His fingers tingled and pricked with heat as he held the Apple in his hand, looking out over the courtyard of the old castle. His doves were down below, mingling with the pilgrims, offering them wine and food that they had…politely liberated from the current castle's storage. Desmond waited patiently, as the moon was not yet at its fullest, and he had some time to prepare for the summoning.

He hadn't exactly expected these people to be here. But when he came days prior to scout out the place, here they had been, setting up camp for their own special kind of lunar festival. They said on the night of the full moon, the spirits were stronger, and they could feel the power of their goddess better than ever before. They even invited him to return on that night, partake in the festivities even!

Desmond could only thank the Divines for this perfect coincidence, and he accepted the offer, promising to bring friends and drink when he did. And how he had delivered. The caskets of wine were opened, and the first round of pilgrims began to partake. It was the finest wine in the New Kingdom, perfectly refined for the sweetest and most bitter taste. And from what Desmond had observed in the past, it was a very quick way to get people drunk.

And for what Desmond was planning, he needed everyone very drunk, very lucid. and very susceptible to control. The Apple still burned hotly in his hand, and Desmond knew he was really pushing his luck with it. He had never used it this much to this degree before, the effects certainly starting to make themselves known. But with any luck, he wouldn't need the Apple much any more after this night.

For now, he watched, and waited, taking in the courtyard as a whole and began to plan how he wanted to organize this.

 **x-X-X-x**

In the center of the courtyard, there was what looked like the remains of a fountain, but now all that was left was a big, empty bowl in the ground. Desmond concluded he would use this as his summoing centerpiece. While the pilgrims and his doves partied around him in a drunken stupor. Around the fountain, he laid out the pieces of his grand plan that took him a painful long time to gather. The symbols of the wizard and magician he arranged between two candles each. The scrolls had the straw of brooms and the eyelashes of black cats folded together.

The full moon's highest point drew extremely near. It was time. Desmond looked around the courtyard at the dozens of people he was fully prepared to condemn. It was here in this spot, centuries ago, the demon plague began here. Here centuries ago, scores of mortals were slaughtered, their souls taken and kept out of reach from the Divines. Was he truly, surely ready do to the same? Just for one mere demon?

Really at this point, pretty much absolutely yes. A part of him felt like he had already come too far and he could not turn back now. Even if he did, it was too late for him. He had already dabbled in black magic, and he was forever marked. The only way to erase such a mark was to confess to a Priestess and have her unseal him. And since thaaaat wasn't ever going to happen without him ending up in a prison cell, Desmond decided it was in his best interests to just keep on going.

But the time was now, and Desmond pulled the Apple free of its satchel. He clutched at it tightly, and it glowed bright before it casted a shimmering aura over the yard. The festivities came to a sudden halt as one by one, the partiers slowed in their movements until they all stood like statues, eyes glazed over in golden hues.

Desmond climbed atop a pile of broken pillars, and from memory, he began to loudly instruct them all in the Old Tongue.

His three doves, his brides to be, names he never bothered to remember walked into the fountain and sat down in the center with their backs to one another. The pilgrims moved in a calm yet organized frenzy, oils found and already raging spits of fire brought to the fountain. His doves made no sound as they were doused with the oil, and moments later, set on fire.

Desmond switched from instructions to incantations, the summonings of Her Child, calling out his archaic name through the beyond realms. The scrolls with the symbols suddenly caught ablaze with a dark fury, the flames black as the night with red streaks arching through them. In the fountain, the fire turned just as black with the same red streaks, and the shimmering aura around the yard suddenly began to swirl.

Faster and faster it went, gathering together like a twister as it closed it on the fountain. What seemed like lightning lanced across the twister's surface as it lapped up the black flames. The flames did not extinguish, but rather were sucked up into the twister and spun with it. At last, his doves suddenly screamed, and moments later, blood and gore joined in on the spinning disaster.

Desmond fell to a knee, wobbling dangerously atop the pile. His right hand that held the Apple tightly ached more furiously than a storm, and it felt as if the fires in the yard had caught up to him. The tips of his fingers blackened first, and he muttered through the process of watching it travel to his knuckles, then his palm, and make it ways to his wrist.

But he could not stop now. It was too late for that.

The twister in the fountain shrunk down until the bowl of it sat in the center, a raging hole of darkness and fire.

And then, from the very deep recesses, an otherworldly creature shrieked from within.

 **x-X-X-x**

He had not heard his name in a very long time.

So long that he almost forgot what it sounded like when another being, not his Mother, called it.

In a realm of pulsating, breathing vines, and ungodly structures, he awoke from his slumber. His eyes creaked open at first, then snapped wide as his whole body was suddenly jerked forward. A golden chain suddenly appeared in front of him, the end shooting out to anchor itself in the hollow space behind his left breast, where his heart once was. The other end slithered away, and dragged him along.

No matter how much he pulled back at the chain, tried to break away, he could not free himself, and the chain continued on unburdened by his attempts.

"MOTHER!" he screeched into the void, but she did not appear. "MOTHER, HELP ME!"

Where was she? Why did he awake alone? She was always here, always, so why not now? He screamed for her again as he dragged away, and his desperate pleas ceased when he was pulled towards a swirling portal.

Hovering just in front of the portal were three bodies, mortal bodies. The chain stopped pulling at him, and he was free to move of his own will once more. The bodies were deathly still, but the smell of blood on them was unmistakeable. A foreign hunger struck at his belly, and with a guttural sound, the bodies were eviscerated within seconds.

It had been so long since he tasted mortal flesh. He desired more, and the smell of mortals permeated from the portal. He could not recall the last time mortals ha given him and his Mother a sacrifice either, but surely this must be that, and he would not miss out on it.

Maybe it was a good thing Mother was not here currently. Th gold chain strained forward until it shot through the portal completely and took him along with.

 **x-X-X-x**

A monster arose from the swirling mass in the fountain. It spilled out in a disgusting mess of vine like tentacles, the red streaks dancing across them now. Desmond grinned despite his pain, his arm burning further now. He called out to the pilgrims to pile forward, feed the beast as it entered the mortal plains. The tentacles shot out at the approaching pilgrims, snatching them up and pulling them into its center.

Blood splashed up and sprayed the sides of the fountain. The sounds of the pilgrims being torn apart were nauseating as they met their deaths silently. Human, mortal bodies were surely not mean to sound like paper when torn apart, but that was the chorus of noises that grace Desmond's ears.

 _Splash_ went blood. _Shrriz_ went skin and muscle. _Crack_ went bones. And that was just above the smack of the beast devouring its victims. The pilgrims were running thin, and Desmond made his final push to contain the beast. A halo surrounded the beast, and chains shot out from it into the center of the fountain. The beast screamed in agony as it was reeled out of the portal, until its for form was exposed.

More and more chains out out to bind and seal it, constructing its mass ever slowly into a more humanoid form. Desmond slid off the pile of rubble, back leaned against a pillar as his arm below his elbow burned a white hot. The pain made his vision swim, and he continued to mutter the incantations from between gritted teeth.

The beast screamed and wailed as the portal beneath it closed, and with the last of Desmond's stregnth, it was bound in a mortal form, and dropped unceremoniously in to the middle of the now empty, but blood covered fountain. The ceremony complete, the Apple's glow vanished. Everything dropped, and finally Desmond blacked out with a relieved sigh.

 **x-X-X-x**

His face scrunched up as a harsh light suddenly struck him, and he whimpered and rolled away to shield his eyes. He shivered as a cool breeze tickled his back, and suddenly he became aware of the hard stone beneath his figure. Blue eyes opened once more, and instead of the usual darkness of the void before him, he saw the red painted fountain doused in a yellowy light.

His brows furrowed together, and then he realized there was a pleasantly warm heat on his back. He rolled back over, hissing under his breath as the same light from before assaulted his sight, and he threw a hand across his brows to shield his eyes. There was something familiar about this combination of heat and light, and it took several moments for him to remember-

To remember the sun.

He suddenly shot upright with a startled gasp. His head whipped around from side to side. He knew this courtyard, he knew where in the world it was. He knew the sun and the bright blue sky it hung in. He knew everything because he had been here before.

It had been at least half a millennium since he was last year, maybe longer. He glanced downwards, and reeled backwards at what he saw. A pale sternum attached to a pale abdomen, with a pale waist and pale legs. He even had arms, and hands. He reached up again to feel at his face, run them against his cheeks and his nose and brows, and then- Hair! His dark, wild curly hair was back.

Was he…mortal again?

A disbelieving bark of laughter erupted from him. He was back in the mortal plains as himself again. How he had grown, for didn't remember feeling his big since he was here last. He had been a boy back then, but now he had grown into a man. Or at least, it was the form of a man he took now. With another broken laugh, he got up, nearly slipping on the fountains incline, but he crawled out to stand on his own two feet again. His toes curled into the faded stone of the courtyard, and he stared down at them with an exuberant glee.

And then-

For the first time-

He noticed the dark bands wrapped around his ankles. And he realized similar bands were attached to his wrists as well. An uncomfortable weight pulled at his throat, and he reached up to feel the hard, metal collar on him as well.

What in the names of the Divines was this?

The golden chain surfaced in his mind. He reached out in front of him, and grabbed at the air. His hand caught the chain that suddenly materialized. The chain led from his chest out beyond from where he stood, and to a pile of debris where the one and only other single body here lay at the base. Frowning, he wobbled over to the figure, grunting in frustration as he tried to get used to walking on two legs again, and trying to get used to having this kind of body in general.

The body was a mortal man, well muscled with a myriad of patterns across his arms. At least, one arm did. His right up up to his elbow looked charred, burned as if it had spent too long in a fire. Just beyond limped fingers sat an orb with glyphs carved into it. He stared at it for a moment before realizing what it was; one of the Pieces of the Divines. And not just any Piece of the Divines, but one of the many that had sealed him and his Mother away all those centuries ago.

Was this mortal responsible for using this same Piece to summon him? To chain him like this? His whole frame started to shake with fury, and an animalistic growl reverberated from his chest.

 **x-X-X-x**

Desmond jerked awake as his whole body vibrated from the growl. His vision swam as the sunlight struck him in the face, and he groaned loudly. His groan was cut extremely short when a hand shot out and gripped him at his throat. With no effort at all, he was lifted off the ground as his left hand clawed desperately at the one that held him hostage. He struggled to look down at his attacker, and his brows shot up to his hairline as a young man, no older than him held him up.

But then the man hissed at him, lips curling back to reveal a mouth full of inhumanly sharp teeth. The grip around his throat tightened, and Desmond struggled to breathe.

"Ruh-ruh-rele-se meee," Desmond wheezed. "Youu….shul naw…Hurrm meeeee"

His hand moved to grip at the band around the wrist that held him. The band briefly pulsated, and the man dropped him. Desmond was sent tumbling back to the ground, landing hard on his side. He cried out in pain as the man backed away and growled in his own frustration.

Desmond wheezed for air as he glanced the man up and down. Was…Was this the Child? He looked a little too old to be a kid, but then again, demons could take on whatever form they wished, and perhaps this is what suited him best.

"Ah..Ale…Alexander?" Desmond gasped out the Child's more modern name. The Child's gaze snapped to his. Desmond grinned despite his pain. "Yes…I know you're name. Because you…You belong to me now."

Alexander's gaze narrowed at him.

"We're gonna do….Amazing things together….Husband."

Alarmed flared up in the blue hues of Alexander's eyes as Desmond wheezily laughed madly.

The Apple shimmered dimly where it sat.


	3. Chapter 3

o-O-O-o means you're reading a section set in the past. x-X-X-x means you're reading a section set in the present.

* * *

"DANA!" he screamed, running as fast as he could after the monster. "DANAAA!"

"ALEEEEX!" his sister cried back. "ALEX HELP MEEEE!"

He was coming, he was trying his best, he was running faster than he ever had in his life. But the monster was faster, even with Dana clutched in its grasp. The monster bound and leapt away across rooftops, and soon enough, it disappeared from Alex's sight. But still Alex ran, and ran, and ran until his legs finally gave out from under him. He collapsed to the ground, chest heaving, and tears streaming down from his face.

"Dana," he croaked. "Dana I'm coming...I'm coming…"

All around him, monsters swarmed the city streets as people ran from them. The screams of the dying, the hunters and hunted echoing through the night. No one paid him any notice as he lied in the street, catching his breath as he waited for his calves stopped burning so he could continue his search. He wouldn't rest until he found Dana.

 **x-X-X-x**

It couldn't be true. He didn't want it to be true, but William knew better. The King stormed through the halls to the northwestern wing. He was terrified of what he'd find, if Altair's report had any truth. His foolish son, he never should have taught him the ways of Eden…

Without much grace, William threw open the doors to the prince's room and bellowed out, "DESMOND!"

He heard his son squawk in surprise, and there was an audible shuffle from the second tier. William stormed up the stairs. He found Desmond lounging amongst his "bed", a pile of pillows and blankets draped around him. A blanket was wrapped up around the right side of his body as he lounged about, and what looked like pillows were hidden underneath the rest of it.

"Father!" Desmond smiled up at him. "What an unexpected surprise!"

"Where are they?" William growled. "What did you do to them?"

"Them?" Desmond echoed innocently.

"The girls. What did you do to them? Don't act stupid with me."

The color in Desmond's face drained only slightly as he replied, "I don't know what you mean. What girls, there were no girls here…"

"DESMOND!" William roared. "TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"

"I-I haven't- Who said- No, Father!"

William marched over, grabbed hold of the blankets, and ripped them away. They dropped him his hands moments later from what he saw, and William felt his blood run cold. Desmond's right arm was destroyed, blackened, burnt beyond all saving. But the ice blue eyes glaring up at him really caught his attention.

He felt like he had gone back in time, back to when those same eyes had looked up at him in a determined desperation. The dark, curly hair was practically the same, but he had grown in body. He wasn't the same little boy he anymore, but a man.

At least, he would be if the Mother hadn't taken him as her own.

More curiously, there were chains around his neck, hands, and feet. Bound back to the mortal realm, but bound to…

William glanced between his son and the demon, and he groaned loudly.

"Father, I can explain-" Desmond started.

William silenced him with a fierce glare, then he looked back down at the demon, the Child.

"What has he done, beast?" William asked him. "I command you to answer me."

"What does it look like?" the Child grumbled at him. "The fool has summoned me and bound me to him. Sacrificed pilgrims and women. Intends to marry me. Need I say more?"

Desmond lost all color to his face as he paled more and more with every word spoken. He gave the Child a rather scandalized look, but it turned to terror as he looked back up at his father.

"I can't believe this," William shook his head. "I can't believe YOU. I told you it was dangerous to play with the Pieces of Eden, I TOLD you only to use them in dire need. They are not toys, Desmond!"

"I know, but Father, please understand, I-I know what I'm doing!" Desmond pleaded. "You'll see, it'll be great!"

"The only thing I want to see is _that_ ," William jabbed a finger at the Child. "Sent back to his Mother, immediately. Before she notices his disappearance and comes looking for him."

"And she will look, so I have to agree with him," the Child said.

"...No," Desmond said. "No, it's fine. Let her come then! I'll just send her back! With the power of the Apple, she won't stand a cha-aaah!"

He was cut off when William stormed over to him and lifted him off the ground by his tunic.

"ARE YOU MAD?!" William screamed at him. "ARE YOU THIS DAFT? DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? YOU ARE INVITING DEATH TO THIS KINGDOM! YOU ARE ASKING FOR THE DEATH OF THOUSANDS, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE CITY! DOES THIS NOT FAZE YOU AT ALL?"

Desmond only stared back at him, nothing to say, just a wild look in his eyes. William got a good look at him then, and for a second, he almost didn't recognize him. The dark circles under his son's eyes, the thinning of his face, the uneven growth of whiskers along his chin. He looked as mad as he sounded. What had happened to him?

"Send him back," William ordered one last time.

"I can't," Desmond whispered. "I can't...I won't...I've come too far…"

"Then I will make you," William declared. He let go of him, dropped Desmond back into his bed. "You stay here, and do not leave, do you understand me? I will have Altair stand here with you to make sure of it. When I return, you better be here, or so _help me_ , Desmond…"

William turned away, throwing the Child one last glance before he stormed back out of the room.

 **o-O-O-o**

The King was young to say the least, far too young to be a king, but since his father's death in the monster attacks, it was a role for him to inherit alone. He stood tall, dark hair smoothed back, beard perfectly trimmed. Despite it, he looked tired, exhausted as he had been spending the last few days dealing with the monsters of the Mother. Alex understood him all too well.

"It's a fruitless search, child. No one has returned from the palace since they were taken there, your sister is most likely dead. I cannot help you," the new King William shook his head.

"Please my Lord, there's still a chance." Alex begged him. "I know she's in there, I know she's still alive. Please sir…"

"I'm sorry my child, but the city's forces are already expended as is, and I can't risk a hopeless rescue mission now. I have other matters to attend to, again, my sincere apologies." King William said, and he started to turn away.

"Then I'll do it myself!" Alex cried. The King paused and looked back at him briefly. Alex fixed him with a determined glare, then he turned on his heel and marched away. If no one would help him save Dana, then very well, he'd do it himself.

 **x-X-X-x**

The last person Dana expected to suddenly see in temple was the King himself. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy seeing him, in fact, it was always a pleasure hosting him. But she could tell that he wasn't here to have tea and catch up, something was terribly wrong.

"High Priestess, if I may, a private audience with you," he requested upon approaching her, and Dana wordlessly led him away to more secluded quarters. As soon as they were out of sight, William grabbed her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"My son has done something terrible," William said.

"I had a feeling," Dana replied, her suspicions about the Prince's behavior confirmed. "What did he do exactly?"

"He summoned a demon."

"Well that's not too bad-"

"It's your brother."

Dana froze. Her...her brother...Alex? No...No that was impossible. It had been too long, it had been years. _Hundreds_ of years. How could it be Alex? What did Desmond do? How did he even pull it off? The Mother and her brother had been sealed away the Pieces of Eden. So did that mean Desmond undid the seal? Is that what he had been doing in the archives?

"I don't...I don't understand," Dana said. "Tell me what happened."

"You're not going to like it," William grimaced. "I'm none too pleased myself about it...But before I say any more, I swear it was him, I swear it was your brother. I'd know those eyes anywhere. He's...He's grown, much like you have. But, perhaps not for the better…"

The King told her of what happened earlier that day, what he had discovered, what Alex told her. Dana almost didn't want to believe it, that the Prince had done all this. That Desmond, the boy she had tutored and nurtured and cared for when he was a child. And now he was….summoning demons and sacrificing his people for it? And in the end, it was Alex. Her Alex. Her beloved big brother that she had been centuries for in the vain hope that she'd be able to save him. But it was so risky, it wouldn't be worth it, not without starting the disaster all over again. The disaster that Desmond was unwittingly re-starting if they didn't get Alex back to where he came from.

"I'm sorry, Dana," the King apologized to her. "I'm truly sorry. I know you've wanted this for so long, but there is no saving him without dooming others. I've taken care of you the best I can all this time, and I've always supported you. But now I need your support in return to prevent the kingdom from falling into chaos and death once more.

"My Lord, you've done plenty for me," Dana assured him. "And I am forever grateful to you. I assure you, I know what must be done. I promise my selfishness won't get in the way. As much as I love my brother, I won't risk repeating the past for him. The best we can do is take him back to where Desmond summoned him from, and create a newer, stronger seal."

"And for Desmond...We can't allow him to be free after this. He's already marked, and can't be trusted. Not around the Divines or their gifts, but around anyone else. Knowing what he's already done...I should be giving you my sympathies, my Lord. He would have made a fine successor but it appears that he's a little too much like his father."

William sighed, but he didn't disagree with her.

"I thought I raised him better than this. I felt so confident that maybe if he understood the power of the Apple, he could use it for good, and not...this." William confessed.

"You tried your best, and we can still fix this, before it gets any worse." Dana replied. "We _will_ fix this before...She shows up."

A chilling thought all on its own.

 **o-O-O-o**

The palace looked unrecognizable. It was covered in grotesque flesh looking foliage that pulsated and bulged almost as if it was alive, as if it was breathing. The monsters bounded in and out of the flesh, dragging the still screaming bodies of people in with them. One monster stopped long enough to bite the head off of a wailing man, blood spraying as it did. It swallowed the man's head before bounding along to the rest of the palace.

Alex felt sick watching this. But he couldn't turn back now, he had come too far. He was going in there to save Dana if it was the last thing he'd ever do. Alex took a deep breath, then ran inside the entrance to the courtyard. The flesh was everywhere, on the ground, crawling over the walls, spiking upwards and arching over into a dark cavern. He stuck to the walls, carefully stepping over any bumps and ruffles. The flesh squished disgustingly under his bare feet, but Alex carried on anyway.

It was hard to see, but Alex could still make out the mangled bodies held prisoner in the walls of the foliage. They were all dead, eyes still hanging open lifelessly, hands still stretched out in a silent beg to be saved. The foliage crawled out from their open mouths, some even pushing out from empty eye sockets. Their skin would bulge as well until it burst open and more of the foliage slithered out. He could hear shrieks and screams from farther in the cavern.

But still no Dana. Alex continued on through the near darkness of hell to find her.

* * *

See you in the next whenever.


	4. Chapter 4

short chapter, got tired of seeing this in my wip folder, didn't know what else to write uhh...yay lore and backstory? YAY!

 **x-X-X-x**

* * *

She awoke with a sudden jerk as a loud scream echoed through the room. She nearly joined in, given the nightmarish surroundings she found herself in. Dana wanted to believe she was somehow still dreaming, this all just had to be a terrible dream. That she really was back with Alex, curled up in his lap in the small hovel they called home, as homely as it could be for orphaned street urchins.

But another scream ripped through the room, and Dana whimpered in fear. She had no idea where she was, and Alex was nowhere in sight. She whimpered again when she realized she was trapped in place. Eerie looking vines were wrapped around her arms and legs. The vines were all around her, shivering and pulsating where they were. In the dim light, Dana could see she wasn't alone.

Almost.

Her bright blue eyes widened in terror as she recognized _other children_ were in the room. They too were trapped in the vines, but their eye sockets were empty, mouths hung agape as more vines slithered out. Their bodies were twisted, battered, and bruised. One had died from their face being ripped, nothing now but a bloodied skull peering out from behind ragged flesh.

Dana wanted to scream. And throw up. And cry. Especially cry. She didn't know what was going on, but she had a sinking feeling she would be next. She was going to die, and never see Alex again. It was truly enough to bring tears to her eyes, and Dana started to wail in despair. Her fate was surely sealed.

Her cries though, ended up not being in vain. Cause almost instantly it seemed, a soothing voice suddenly graced her ears, and the vines trapping her in place relinquished their hold on her. Soft hands pulled her free and and into a warm embrace.

"Shhh, there there," a wispy, angelic voice shushed her, a thin hand petting the back of her head. "There there, darling, there there. Mother's here now."

Dana sniffled and whimpered, but those quickly died down as she was comforted. They fully ceased when she realized, wait, she didn't _have_ a mother. Dana looked up to the face of her rescuer. It was a woman, with long, crimson colored hair, and unnaturally green eyes. She was young, she was beautiful, she a smear of fresh blood across her cheeks.

The being that called herself Mother smiled warmly down at Dana. Centuries later, Dana would still be able to recall how the Mother looked at her, as if the Mother was gazing down her as if she was her newborn child, with maternal love.

"Such a pretty baby," the Mother cooed, still petting the back of Dana's head. Dana whimpered again, and the Mother quickly shushed her once more. "No no, more crying, I'm here now. Mother will keep you safe. Mother won't let a _nything_ bad happen to you."

The Mother giggled, and in turn, it felt like the whole room giggled with her. Dana closed her eyes as the Mother hugged her closer, and the young girl prayed to the Divines for help. Someone, anyone who was listening, _help her_.

 **x-X-X-x**

The attackers finally retreated at last. They were foolish, thinking they could break into Her realm, but She showed them how terrible of an idea that was. The tear sewed back, She drifted through the void of Her realm, past the decaying bodies of mortals trapped in living vines, past Her battle weary pets, as they all slithered and limped away to find rest.

In the heart of Her realm, there He would be, still sleeping as soundly as when She had left Him. She couldn't think of anything better right now, than to curl up alongside Her child, and sleep away Her weariness. A well deserved rest, She thought to Herself.

Except-

When She finally arrived-

He was not there. Not in His nest, not hiding away in the rest of His nursery-

But She could smell it. Mortal blood. The smell of the Outside World. A World She had not visited in many, many millennia. It reminded Her of bad times. But if Her child was not was not here, and the remnants of the Outside World were-

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no no no nononononononononono!

NOOONONOOOOONOOOOO!

He had been taken back from where She had gotten Him in the first place.

She threw back her head and screamed. The realm screamed in agony alongside Her. Her Child had been stolen from Her _again_.

 **x-X-X-x**

Alexander's eyes snapped open as a cold chill ran down his spine. He had only closed his eyes for a few moments, his usual sleeping schedule thrown out of whack since his arrival back in the mortal world. Back in the realm of his Mother, days blinked by in mere hours. It had been two weeks since that blasted Prince had pulled him free from the other realm. Alexander was understandably, exhausted.

But even in the mortal world, he could feel it. He could feel his Mother's wrath, she had finally discovered his disappearance. Childish displeasure flashed in his empty chest. What had taken her so long? Didn't she love him enough to know where he was at all times?

' _NO!'_ his mind screamed at him. _'Don't think like that.'_

Don't miss her. Don't long for her. He was finally free. Free of her, at least. Cause despite how tired he was, Alexander could feel it. That idiot might have enslaved him, but Alexander could feel the Mother's influence slipping from him. For the first time in far too long, his mind didn't feel as muddled, his thoughts more clear. More importantly, his memories were coming back to him. He could remember better, without _her_ filling in the blanks for him.

The King had yet to devise a way to safely send him back to the Mother, and if Alexander could freely speak his mind, then he'd beg him, please, _don't_. Rather, Alexander would beg for the King to find a way to turn him back, make him mortal, or at least subdue the demonic curse on him.

The King at least owed him that much.

Oh, he knew the King. More like, New High King William, formerly Prince. Alexander remembered begging the man for help, remembered stalking away from him when helped was denied. When he set off on that one-boy mission to recuse his sister, or die trying.

 _Or die trying._

It was the same man though. The same King. After all this time…All these years….And Alexander had this vain hope, that somehow, someway, his sister was alive as well. The same artifact that summoned him from the Mother's realm was the same as the one the King used to seal them away.

But no! No words he could speak! Not after a night he spent verbally lashing out at the Prince as he could not physically harm him. And as punishment, the Prince sealed his tongue, speak only when spoken to, and especially when the Prince demanded it. And ooonly then was it allowed.

Every day Alexander was forced into silence, every day more he hated the Prince. The more he wished he could just…rip that charred arm off the Prince's body and shove it down his throat. The more he wished he could break every little bone in those hands that would grip his hair at night, those slender fingers that would tease his jawline and his throat…

The madness of the Apple was consuming the Prince, and while he got handsy, he yet had done something that would truly deserve to be ripped apart for. But Alexander wanted to kill him anyway. Choke him with the very chain that bound them together. For as much as he longed for his humanity, he was still a monster, and he craved blood. And if it were the blood of his captor?

So be it.

* * *

 **x-X-X-x**

See you next time (maybe)!


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